Says moves create ‘pharmacy deserts’

Ald. William Hall (6th) is pushing back against the planned closure of a longtime Walgreens location in his ward, calling the company’s actions harmful to Black communities and particularly devastating for seniors who rely on nearby access to medication.

Hall was joined Monday, May 4, by Ald. Lamont J. Robinson (4th) and Ald. Desmon Yancy (5th) at a press conference outside the Walgreens at 8628 S. Cottage Grove Ave., which is scheduled to close June 4 after more than 60 years in the community.

“This is creating pharmacy deserts,” Hall said, noting that multiple closures across the South Side are leaving residents with limited options for prescriptions and basic health needs.

“When Walgreens opened up, everybody thought it was the best option. Now that Walgreens is leaving, we have no options,” Hall said. “Years ago, we had Black pharmacies all up and down King Drive and 75th Street. Walgreens came and swiped them out.”

Supporters held signs reading “No more corporate abandonment” and “Senior Lives Matter” as community members and local business owners voiced concerns about the impact of the closures.

Hall introduced Eryn White, a second-generation Black pharmacy owner, who said independent pharmacies were once bought out by larger corporations.

“At the end of the day, you have to make a commitment to the community you serve,” White said, questioning what remains when corporations leave after consolidating the market.

White also criticized the suggestion that customers use other Walgreens locations, including the store on Stony Island.

“It’s a mess over there,” she said, referring to long wait times for prescriptions.

Hall accused the company of abandoning communities that helped build its customer base.

“When Walgreens came in, now that they are gone, they leave families behind,” Hall said. “You come into our neighborhood and you think you can leave us with crumbs. We’re better than crumbs.”

The 87th and Cottage Grove location is one of several Walgreens stores closing across Chicago, including locations at 2351 E. 71st St. and 3405 S. King Drive. The closures are part of a broader plan to shut down approximately 1,200 stores nationwide over three years.

Hall argued that the closures disproportionately affect Black and brown neighborhoods.

“We know it’s a closure by color,” Hall said when asked whether the decisions were tied to zip codes.

He contrasted the closures with stores in predominantly white areas, saying companies appear more willing to invest in maintaining those locations.

Walgreens has said the Cottage Grove store is closing due to “significantly higher levels of theft and violent incidents” compared to other locations.

Hall rejected that explanation, calling for the company to reinvest in the community or partner with local pharmacies.

“Seventy percent of this ward is dependent upon medicine,” Hall said. “If it’s right on 12th Street, it should be right on 87th Street.”

Ald. Robinson said he is drafting a “big box ordinance” that would require companies receiving public subsidies, such as Tax-Increment Financing (TIF) funds, to repay those funds if they leave.

“You cannot take resources out of our community and not put them back,” Robinson said.

According to the Chicago Sun-Times, $5 million was diverted from the 87th and Cottage Grove TIF district to help address city budget gaps.

Residents and business owners described the real-life impact of the closure.

Latonya Mitchell, owner of Exceptional Little Leaders Academy, said 12 of the 15 families she serves rely on the pharmacy regularly.

“I’m real upset and sad about they’re closing,” Mitchell said. “Four of those families are in the homeless program. It’s not easy for them to go to another Walgreens because they don’t have the resources.”

She added that two children in her program depend on medications for ADHD and asthma.

Mitchell also described the hardship for her aunt, who lives nearby and recently underwent emergency surgery.

“She doesn’t have a car,” Mitchell said. “I can’t always go get things for her because I have a business to run. This Walgreens has been here for decades.”

Daryl Smith, a city worker, said his 76-year-old mother, who has undergone a lung transplant, depends on consistent access to medication.

Holding a bag of prescription vials, Smith said, “Every pill bottle in here has a Walgreens cap on it.”

Smith said several nearby Walgreens locations have already closed, forcing him to travel farther to fill prescriptions.

“I should not have to drive across town on my lunch break,” he said. “When you have a local pharmacy, they know you.”

Longtime resident Eunice Wigfall, who has lived in Chatham since 1961, said the neighborhood has steadily lost businesses.

“We need this Walgreens,” she said. “You look down the street now and see boarded-up stores. It’s heartbreaking.”

Despite community outrage, Walgreens has pointed to financial challenges. According to NPR and CNBC, the company is closing underperforming stores and shifting toward smaller-format locations focused on prescriptions, vaccinations, and personalized care.

At the conclusion of the press conference, Hall led supporters inside the store, where they chanted, “Do right by us.”

Hall said he is exploring alternatives, including discussions with CVS about replacing the location.

Walgreens officials said customers can transfer prescriptions to nearby stores, including the location at 1616 E. 87th St., or use free prescription delivery for 90 days.

Employees at the closing store are expected to be reassigned to other locations.

Still, Hall said the broader issue remains unresolved.

“This is a mass abandonment of access to quality healthcare,” he said. “And our communities are the ones paying the price.”